On June 5, 2024, a tragic incident occurred in Highland Park, Illinois, resulting in the deaths of two brothers, Marc Austwick and John Austwick. Marc Austwick, 63, of Lake Forest, and his brother John Austwick, 60, of Mundelein, were found deceased outside a house fire at 1726 Park Avenue West in Highland Park. The emergency response was initiated at approximately 3:50 a.m. when firefighters and police responded to a report of a residential structure fire.
Upon arrival, they discovered the bodies of the two brothers with suspicious injuries outside the home.
Autopsies conducted by the Lake County Coroner’s Office revealed that both Marc and John Austwick died from multiple gunshot wounds. The investigation, led by the Lake County Major Crime Task Force and the Highland Park Police Department, indicated that the incident was isolated and posed no known threat to the community.
The investigation led authorities to focus on Jeffrey Austwick, the younger brother of the victims. Preliminary evidence suggested that Marc and John Austwick had visited Jeffrey Austwick at the Highland Park residence, which was owned by their mother, Phyllis Austwick, who had passed away on May 31, 2024. The purpose of the visit was reportedly to discuss the property. At some point during this visit, Jeffrey Austwick allegedly shot and killed his brothers and then set the home on fire.
Jeffrey Austwick, 54, of Highland Park, was taken into custody on June 7, 2024, at 5:30 a.m. in a St. Louis park following a two-day manhunt. He was charged with the murder of his two brothers and remains in custody in Missouri pending a court hearing.
Marc Austwick, born on October 3, 1960, at Great Lakes Naval Hospital in North Chicago, Illinois, was a beloved son, husband, and father. He attended Deerfield High School and DePaul University, later pursuing a successful career as a medical distributor. Marc was known for his love of family, friends, and life, with passions that included traveling, golf, hunting, and fly fishing. He is survived by his spouse, Laura, and his sons, Taylor, Dilan, and Hunter.
A graveside service for Marc Austwick is scheduled for June 17, 2024, at Lake Forest Cemetery, with a celebration of life planned for the fall.
